Mario Cucinella's The Sustainability Box Debuts in Florence

Mario Cucinella Architects has launched The Sustainability Box, a modular, itinerant sculpture in Florence at Via Palazzuolo 87, as part of BASE / Progetti per l'arte's BaseTools program. Founded in 1998 by an artist collective, BASE activates temporary cultural spaces across the city. The project follows Jason Dodge's November 2024 intervention in Via San Niccolò. The Sustainability Box is a tactile, interactive, narrative totem that visualizes the studio's design philosophy, referencing Marcel Duchamp's musée en valise. It invites reflection on the human-nature-technology relationship and bio-inspiration as a response to environmental urgencies. Previously shown in Brazil and Australia, the work now engages with Florence's historic urban context and global tourism. The initiative includes a collaboration with the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze for a conference and student workshop, extending into 2026 with additional venues. Cucinella advocates for building better and less, focusing on true needs and maximizing existing resources, a stance that also informs the SOS – School of Sustainability.